This old gal…

Has become a fretter…fret head…fret machine…frets about safety…health…driving…those daughters of hers…but mostly…frets…about being hot…

Has to plan ahead for any kind of outing…rather near or far…summer clothing all year round when driving…layers for outdoors…or restaurants…socks…half socks…or no socks…don’t want feet to swell…need clothes that breathe…otherwise hot sweaty me…suffocates…

And so it was…on our walk to the Alamo…weather report said cool temps but sunny…headed out from the hotel…and not more than a block in…the fretting began…the should haves…the what ifs…the I hopes…this fretting…annoying even…to the fretter…

This husband of mine stops mid walk…laughs…says pose here…take off those bags you always carry…and smile…to which his beautiful wife complied…

Here…he says…is a picture…of my hot wife…

Which honestly…she was pretty hot most of the day…touring the Alamo…watching archeologists excavate some land…at the musket firing demonstration…but come sundown…this hot chick…was suddenly cool…cool man Luke…cool dude…coolie von cooligan…and then the fretting takes a turn…

What if it gets too cold…
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Then this husband of mine…would…agree…

This daughter of mine…

Newly married…East Coast gal…dog mom…MS warrior…is the star of her show…she…and that sidekick/co-star husband of hers…delighting this old gal…with episodes of adventure…humor…love…

But you know how sometimes…without seeing it coming…that supporting character…who’s one liners are zingers…and cuteness can’t be ignored…gains popularity…to the point…of deserving a spin off…

And so it is…this grandma of that son-in-law of mine…met her at the summer wedding…a supporting character like this mama…but dazzled…the crowd…with her smile…her laugh…her pizazz…welcoming…kind…everybody’s friend…lighting up the dance floor…like a disco ball…

This glamorous grandma…becoming a major player…in our Christmas story…this old gal commenting…when you see my girl…give her a hug…and tell her…it’s from her mama…Glamorous Grandma…making good on her promise…this daughter of mine…getting a surrogate hug…from her mama…miles and miles away…

This photo of theirs…priceless…the smiles…precious…and Glamorous Grandma…winning the award…for best performance…of the day…
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And this daughter of mine…agrees…

This husband of mine…

Said…let’s go to Buc-ee’s…get a few gifts…and mail them off…you do know…responded his lovely wife…this is the busiest day of the week…at Buc-ee’s…yep…came the response…

You do know…responded his lovely wife…again…this is the busiest time of day…at Buc-ee’s…yep…came the response…

You do know…responded his lovely wife…again again…the last weekend shopping day before Christmas…will be a busy day…at Buc-ee’s…we’ll be fine…came the response…

And so it was…this old gal and her shopping sidekick…headed off for some Buc-ee shopping fun…the busiest day…during the busiest time of year…at the busiest time of day…

It was packed…like super packed…super crazy packed…super-de-dooper crazy packed…but it was fun…silly fun…stupid fun…silly stupid fun…

And had we listened to boring non risk taking me…this old gal…would have been sitting home playing Wordscapes…instead of getting to meet that hero of hers…and score a precious memory…for the treasured…memory photo book…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…

This husband and I…

Deemed the day after Christmas…laundry day…headed to the EZ Kleen…loaded the machines…stood there waiting…a middle aged woman entered…filled a machine nearby…cute…tiny…dressed in black…all but a silver cross necklace…just hitting…below the collar…

She sighed…looked over…started to share…she was running late…was worried she’d get hungry before the laundry was done…works home health care…her client got sick over Christmas…so was staying at her daughter’s…she’d get by…with the loss of income…

This old gal…asked if she’d had a nice holiday…it was as good as it could have been I suppose…she replied…then gave a sad little smile…and said…but I’m tired…

And there it was…our eyes connecting…that sad smile of hers…complete understanding…this old gal…got it…knew exactly what she meant…the Christmas season is glorious…the build up to the big day…exciting…

But if this old gal looks deep down…deep deep down and is honest with herself…when it’s all over…not taking anything away from the religious significance…a mom…is tired…so much hustle bustle…so much work done to make the magic…and then…it’s done…over…

And if this old gal is honest…looks deep down…deep deep down…this mom…is a little sad…too…thought it would be a relief…keeping it simple this year…wouldn’t have that stress…the exhaustion…the hustle bustle…but there was a hole there somewhere…that remained…at the end of the special day…

And here she was…a new laundromat BFF…sent to say…Old Gal…I feel the hole too…holidays can be like that…but you aren’t alone…everything will be…ok...
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And those daughters of mine…agree…

This old gal…

Was enjoying her morning coffee when she noticed a friend had come to visit…that Best Friend…camp cat Izzy…who made cat loving us work three months last year before we were allowed in the Cool Cat Club and given petting privileges…

Now thinks he can just come a calling and let this old gal know it’s time for her to come outside and say hello…Mr. Nosey…taking a peek…looking around the room…seeing if the old folks are out of bed yet…suddenly spies his prey sitting on the couch enjoying her Java…

And so it began…that kitty tongue lashing…what are you doing…get out here…bring treats…pet me…this buddy of ours knows where to find his pals…knows how to get their attention…is obviously quite bright…

But one look at that greeting of his…that teenage snippy attitude of his…it’s not hard to tell that he is anything…but calm…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…

This old gal…

Can’t remember a time…she didn’t want to be a mom…and that’s probably because…after looking through old photos…seeing little me as young as 2…loving on those treasured baby dolls of hers…there never was a time…she didn’t want to be a mom…

Spent hours…playing with dolls…dressing them…feeding them…bathing them…spent hours…playing house…that younger brother of mine a tolerant playmate…eating those meals little me prepared…in the bright turquoise…Easy Bake Oven…

Spent hours…comforting…nurturing…loving those babies of mine…all in preparation…for the beauty…that is motherhood…realizing that dream…of so long ago…with those beautiful blessings of mine…those treasured little ladies…loving their mama…in ways no other can…supporting her…laughing with her…caring for her…

This old gal blessed…to spend Christmas morning…with those…although so many miles apart…she holds so dear…

Dreams do come true…and in this old gal’s case…sometimes…reality…is more splendid…than could ever have been…imagined…

And little mother me…would have to agree…

This super hero husband of mine…

Swooped in and saved…another little lost friend…from sure demise…on the hot concrete…of the Menards parking lot…had been there awhile…run over a couple of times…but would fit right in…with all the other beloved treasures…that have been rescued from one parking lot or another…

Stuck him in the pocket behind the driver’s seat…forgot about him for days…and days…and many more days…Forgotten Friend…never making it to the collection of treasures…was discovered at home away from home…while unpacking the car…

Set him on the table…forgotten once again…went about unpacking…putting up the Christmas tree…sat down later to admire the progress…when something caught the eye…of this old gal…on top of that Christmas tree…sat Forgotten Friend…

Beautiful…proud…regal…

This husband of mine…seeing something this old gal had missed…didn’t see the missing glitter…the tire marks on the edges…he saw…perfection…the perfect friend…to top our tree…guiding our hearts back…to the true meaning…of this holiday season…

Let your light shine…Little Friend…you are seen…and blessings to each of you…my dear friends….on this special day…

This old gal wishes you…a Merry Christmas…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…

This old gal…

Has never celebrated Christmas anywhere but her hometown…knew the sights…knew the sounds…knew the traditions…knew what to expect…Christmas was always about tradition…oyster stew…Christmas Eve service…Santa coming at 3 am…stuffing stockings for kids regardless of age…

With change…however…comes the chance to see things through new eyes..see the beauty displayed in different ways…

And so it is…the beauty this old gal holds close to her heart this holiday season…courthouse Christmas lights…unique Texas trees…the colorful Historic Market Square…traditions different...yet the same…new…but feel like home…

The beauty is there no matter where you may land…in twinkling lights and lovely song…gorgeous trees and religious ceremonies…in family…in friends…their love for you…your love for them…

Let that gift of beauty surround you…

And this husband of mine…agrees…

This old gal…

Dragged that husband of hers into Home Goods just to browse the shelves and shelves of holiday goodness dazzling all who cross the threshold…wanted to feel that warmth…that buzz…that little tingle…that comes with prepping and counting down for the big day…

This shopping partner of mine ambled behind while his awestruck wife narrated the venture…look at these ornaments…if I were young and had a big house I’d decorate with these…take a look at these cute gift sets…if those daughters of mine were still in school these would make perfect teacher gifts…get ahold of these…those girls of mine would have thought these were so fun…back in the day…

Nostalgic me…needed this time…a walk down holiday aisles…getting her fix of the colors…the sparkle…the shine…the sights and smells that evoke thoughts and memories of how you picture Christmas…

Kind of weird to think those days are past…over the top decorating…Santa fun…seeing the magic through little girl eyes…it’s sad…but in a way a relief…quiet but peaceful…different but ok…

Remember one time trying to explain some stinky three year old behavior by saying…oh it’s just a phase…the response being…you say everything’s…a phase…

And so it is…life is just a bunch of phases…some fun…some not so fun…some short…some…last forever…

This old couple Christmas in home away from home is yet another phase…a phase to embrace…a phase to enjoy…

Cuz this old gal knows...all too well…there’s never a warning when one phase will end…and another…will begin…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…

This husband of mine…

Is a little bit of a romantic…strolled the Riverwalk with his lovely bride…her decked out in her festive llama sweater…him hiding his smiles as passersby commented profusely on her apparel choice…

Cuddled close…most likely from the cold during the riverboat cruise while admiring the beautiful Christmas lights…enjoyed a fancy meal with a perfect view of the festive happenings emerging on the Riverwalk below…

A photographer from the restaurant came to the table…asked us to pose…said we’d get a free photo…knew the drill…vowed we wouldn’t buy one but would give the photographer a small tip…then it happened…this husband of mine saw the photos…his beautiful wife sees his wheels turning…the reel reeling him in…

I like this one…he says…and his wife knows exactly the one he’s talking about…not the one she would pick…the face on decent smile one…he loves the kissing one…the highlight the turkey gobble neck side view one…but romantic him doesn’t see the ski slope neck…he sees…

Peace…joy…love…
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He sees…us…

And his happy…turkey gobble necked wife…agrees…